Pay Per Use (PPU) data rates
I am with at&t and I like their service EXCEPT:
For the most part, at&t and Verizon Wireless have similar plans and offerings. Yet the pay per use data rate for at&t is 5 times higher than Verizon Wireless.
I don't need (or can afford) $30 / month for a full data plan, yet I would use data infrequently if it were $2 / MB instead of $10. At least they would be making more money from me than zero.
I sent a hardcopy letter to at&t but I'm not hopeful I will get a good answer to my question. Anybody here have any good reasons for the price difference?
For the most part, at&t and Verizon Wireless have similar plans and offerings. Yet the pay per use data rate for at&t is 5 times higher than Verizon Wireless.
I don't need (or can afford) $30 / month for a full data plan, yet I would use data infrequently if it were $2 / MB instead of $10. At least they would be making more money from me than zero.
I sent a hardcopy letter to at&t but I'm not hopeful I will get a good answer to my question. Anybody here have any good reasons for the price difference?
...
I do know that AT&T does have a Media Basic package that gives you 400 messages and 1 MB of internet for 10 bucks a month. You'll need to call into customer care to get it.
...
The Media Basic is only usable for non smartphones...if you have a PDA/BB, then that plan is not an option...
if you have a regular phone, unlimited data is just $15/mo or $10/mo if you have unl msg too.
@ $1/day, the PDA/BB/iPhone plans really aren't that expensive...get a small coffee instead of a large every morning and browse the web on your phone as much as you want
if you have a regular phone, unlimited data is just $15/mo or $10/mo if you have unl msg too.
@ $1/day, the PDA/BB/iPhone plans really aren't that expensive...get a small coffee instead of a large every morning and browse the web on your phone as much as you want
...
How dare you ask someone to give up the wonderful gift of coffee for data 😛
...
What happens if I have the Media Basic package and I use a PDA and a Nokia 6550(regular phone)?
...
the_att_insider said:
The Media Basic is only usable for non smartphones...if you have a PDA/BB, then that plan is not an option...
if you have a regular phone, unlimited data is just $15/mo or $10/mo if you have unl msg too.
@ $1/day, the PDA/BB/iPhone plans really aren't that expensive...get a small coffee instead of a large every morning and browse the web on your phone as much as you want
Oh I didn't know they had a PDA. In that case, no, they have to get the 30 dollar data plan then.
...
Thanks all for your feedback.
I have a PDA phone (Samsung Epix) so the MediaNet plan is not an option, at least according to at&t.
Besides, DATA is DATA!! It doesn't matter what terminal device I have. If I use enough data then a plan makes sense, regardless of what kind of data it is. Since I don't use email or apps for my PDA phones then I am penalized for having one.
What if your home ISP charged you separate rates depending on what you were using your internet connection for? Would you like that?
There should be an option for Windows Mobile devices for cheaper PPU data. I mainly have it for syncing with my desktop Outlook. I guess I am a minority customer in this situation.
But I do think it would open up more custom...
(continues)
I have a PDA phone (Samsung Epix) so the MediaNet plan is not an option, at least according to at&t.
Besides, DATA is DATA!! It doesn't matter what terminal device I have. If I use enough data then a plan makes sense, regardless of what kind of data it is. Since I don't use email or apps for my PDA phones then I am penalized for having one.
What if your home ISP charged you separate rates depending on what you were using your internet connection for? Would you like that?
There should be an option for Windows Mobile devices for cheaper PPU data. I mainly have it for syncing with my desktop Outlook. I guess I am a minority customer in this situation.
But I do think it would open up more custom...
(continues)
...
Let me respond to a couple of your questions. First of all, a person who owns a PDA is usually going to use more data than a person with a "standard" phone. He/she will have several email accounts going to it, and spend a lot more time accessing business web sites with the phone. Because of that, the data rate is priced higher than it is for regular phones.
Also, you are somewhat wrong about your ISP charging a different rate for the amount of data used. Here again, for most ISPs, they will charge a higher price for the same speed for a business than they will for a home account. For instance, my cable service will charge about $70/mo for their highest speed at my home, but 50% higher for my wife's office. This is even though we have 3 co...
(continues)
Also, you are somewhat wrong about your ISP charging a different rate for the amount of data used. Here again, for most ISPs, they will charge a higher price for the same speed for a business than they will for a home account. For instance, my cable service will charge about $70/mo for their highest speed at my home, but 50% higher for my wife's office. This is even though we have 3 co...
(continues)
...
PhonemanJ said:
Let me respond to a couple of your questions. First of all, a person who owns a PDA is usually going to use more data than a person with a "standard" phone. He/she will have several email accounts going to it, and spend a lot more time accessing business web sites with the phone. Because of that, the data rate is priced higher than it is for regular phones.
office.
This is completely unproven. Show me one statistic that proves a PDA user uses more data than someone with a $10 family data package. The reason they charge more is because they can. Until people start to refuse the service they have no reason to lower the rates.
...
You idiot the strain on the 3g network is caused by iphone users (which is a smartphone) using 4-10x the data of a normal phone user while other smartphone users aren't as bad as iclowns they are still more then a normal user.
...
He didn't say anyting about iPhones. He said smart phones and the user has a samsung epix not an iphone. Way to bring in something that had nothing do with the conversation.
...
The Iphone is classified as a smartphone. It has the ability to eat data like locust. So can the Epix. I have the original BlackJack. I have 4 email addresses that are picked up by the phone, I spend a lot of time at ESPN.com, I occassionally hit Cellular Video and other video sites. This all eats up data like mad fury. Yes, a lot of these sites can be gotten to on a "regular" phone, but as a general rule, smarphone users (including Iphone users) use more data that standard phone users.
...
still, no proof. Now the iphone, yes, they tend to use a ton more data. But I do bill reviews for most customers that come in my store. Most blackberry and windows mobile phone users paying $30 seem to use the same if not LESS data than kids with $10 family data.
...
Wouldn't that be an argument to increase the rates on family data packages then?
With ATT struggling as much as it is to maintain the network, it would be better to increase data costs to help them build out their network so that the people using the data will see better service.
And if that person on the blackberry isn't using a lot of data, they are more than likely in the wrong phone.
With ATT struggling as much as it is to maintain the network, it would be better to increase data costs to help them build out their network so that the people using the data will see better service.
And if that person on the blackberry isn't using a lot of data, they are more than likely in the wrong phone.
...
Yes and no, once they lowered the family data down to $10 the add rate of that SOC skyrocketed. So yes, it is straining the network, but it is generating revenue. And, as at&t has indicated all growth in company revenue is going to be in data and additional revenue.
I'm not trying to make an argument of what the price should or shouldn't be, all I'm saying is that the reason they charge $30 for data in my eyes is the following-
1. Back end infrastructure and profit sharing for blackberry.
2. The ability to accomplish more with corporate email(not because it uses more data)
3. Cost benefit- Mobile productivity increases worker productivity which in turn justifies the price.
4. People are still paying it. As I said earlier, if people...
(continues)
I'm not trying to make an argument of what the price should or shouldn't be, all I'm saying is that the reason they charge $30 for data in my eyes is the following-
1. Back end infrastructure and profit sharing for blackberry.
2. The ability to accomplish more with corporate email(not because it uses more data)
3. Cost benefit- Mobile productivity increases worker productivity which in turn justifies the price.
4. People are still paying it. As I said earlier, if people...
(continues)
...
for the blackberries.. yes, I can see the PDA capabilities, but I don't think that's the majority of blackberry users who have one without data.
...
Ya, I think more and more will use the data on them with all the new apps coming out. I live in the state with the cheapest customers alive so it must just be here ha!
...
Good point about the $20. Before at&t I was with T-Mobile but I wasn't happy with their coverage areas in my home state. I did have the $20 data package which I thought was pretty good. I ended up using enough data to justify that. Of course, that was EDGE and not 3G. I wish at&t had a $20 data plan.
If at&t is making enough money on data with their current subscriber base then more power to them. It is a business after all, and the minority (me) does not drive business decisions.
If at&t is making enough money on data with their current subscriber base then more power to them. It is a business after all, and the minority (me) does not drive business decisions.
...
AT&T has shown you several times in your trainings from the past. I certainly remember them showing stats.
...
I have never seen such a statistic in the 6 years I've been selling at&t. If its in wireless university let me know which training and I'll shut my mouth but until then I still see no proof in the bills I look at every day. If anything kids that have the $10 data plan tend to use more than your average blackberry user.
...
If you try to host a commercial website at home they have the right to charge you a higher cost for the "same" service.
It isn't as cut and dried a point as you describe.
It isn't as cut and dried a point as you describe.
...
True, for a $30 fixed montly data plan, different users will use different amounts. If I used that much data a plan makes sense.
However, no one has answered my question as to why the PPU data rate is a 5X difference. For PPU, it doesn't matter if I have a "smartphone" or not.
If I had to guess, at&t is being more coercive to customers to sign up for a data plan than VZW.
However, no one has answered my question as to why the PPU data rate is a 5X difference. For PPU, it doesn't matter if I have a "smartphone" or not.
If I had to guess, at&t is being more coercive to customers to sign up for a data plan than VZW.
...
with verizon you can just hit the internet button by accident, use .012Kb and still be charged like you used a whole MB. Do you think that's fair? Or using 1.01MB and be charged for 2MB?
AT&T rates are more fair, since you only paid for the exact amount of Kbs used.
AT&T rates are more fair, since you only paid for the exact amount of Kbs used.
...
Wrong. you hit the button by accident, and you DON'T navigate from the welcome page there is NO data cost. yes, if you check the weather, there will be a charge, but it is impossible to "accidentally" use data by just hitting a button.
Also, our megabyte charge is 1.99 a megabyte, so even if you used 1.01 and got charged for 2, you are STILL saving at least $6 under the per MB plan.
If your per KB rates were comparable at the per MB rates verizon has, then yes, yours would be "more fair" but as they are 5x more expensive, this is not the case.
Also, our megabyte charge is 1.99 a megabyte, so even if you used 1.01 and got charged for 2, you are STILL saving at least $6 under the per MB plan.
If your per KB rates were comparable at the per MB rates verizon has, then yes, yours would be "more fair" but as they are 5x more expensive, this is not the case.
...
From what I understand (and I'm sure Verizon users will correct me if I'm wrong) the biggest reason for the difference is this: With Verizon, even if you only use 10 kilobytes, you are charged the $2, as you are using your first megabyte. With AT&T, if you use 10 kilobytes, you are only charged $.10. So basically, if you don't want to get a data plan, and just check things every now and then, if you use less than 200 kilobytes, AT&T is cheaper for you - if you use more, go with Verizon.
...
200 kb=3-4 web pages on an HTML browser. So if you use the internet more than 4 times in a month, it's cheaper going per MB? The per kilo is only really good if you check your email like once a month
...
You are again not being accurate with your presumptions.
AT&T charges far less for data than Verizon if you really break it down.
How much do YOU use?
AT&T charges far less for data than Verizon if you really break it down.
How much do YOU use?
...
In the months I do use data it's around 1 MB, which would be $10 (at&t) versus $2 or $4 (VZW). So, a difference of $6 worst case a month. Man, am I a cheapskate or what! Still, $30 a month adds up.
Thanks for everybodys input. My hope is that at&t will eventually lower their PPU data rate. I guess that voice plans have reached a point of being a commodity, while data is still a luxury service.
Thanks for everybodys input. My hope is that at&t will eventually lower their PPU data rate. I guess that voice plans have reached a point of being a commodity, while data is still a luxury service.
...
